There’s chicken rice… and then there’s CHICKEN RICE. Amp up the epicness with this winner dinner and enjoy next-level savoury flavour.
300g (10.5 oz) chicken thigh fillets, cut into 4cm pieces
2 tbsp light soy sauce
½ tsp dark sweet soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil, plus extra to drizzle at the end
2 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
6 dried shitake mushrooms
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 Chinese lap cheong sausages, sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp finely grated ginger
¼ cup Chinese Shaoxing wine
1 cup jasmine rice
¼ tsp white pepper
1 cup chicken stock
sliced spring onion (scallions) to sprinkle
Combine the chicken with the soy sauce, dark sweet soy sauce, sesame oil and corn flour. Set aside while you prepare the other ingredients.
Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water for 15 minutes to soften. Strain the soaking liquid, reserving ½ cup for later. Remove and discard the stems from the mushrooms. Cut the mushrooms in half.
Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or frying pan over medium heat. Add the lap cheong sausage and stir-fry for half a minute. Add the chicken and stir-fry 2-3 minutes or until just starting to colour. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for another minute. Toss in the mushrooms. Then pour in the Shaoxing wine and use a spatula to scrape up the bits from the bottom of the pan. Then stir through the rice and white pepper.
Transfer the rice mixture to a Chinese claypot or a heavy-based saucepan or a dutch oven. Pour over the chicken stock and the reserved mushroom soaking liquid. Place the pot over a medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Gently cook for 30 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender.
Remove the lid. Sprinkle the top of the rice with spring onion and a drizzle of sesame oil. Serve straight from the pot.
